Dr. Diefenbach on Ipilimumab/Brentuximab Vedotin in Patients With RR Hodgkin Lymphoma

Catherine M. Diefenbach, MD, assistant professor, Department of Medicine, NYU Langone Medical Center, discusses a phase I study with an expansion cohort examining the combination of ipilimumab and brentuximab vedotin for the treatment of patients with relapsed/refractory Hodgkin lymphoma.

Brentuximab vedotin is an antibody drug conjugate currently approved for use as a single agent for patients with Hodgkin lymphoma who have relapsed after two therapies, are refractory to therapy, or have failed on autotransplant.

Prior to the E4412 trial, most chemotherapy regimens focused on targeting tumor cells and not using the tumor microenvironment to assist in tumor recognition and elimination. In this study, researchers want to directly target the tumor, reduce tumor bulk, release tumor antigen with brentuximab vedotin, and activate T cells in the tumor microenvironment with ipilimumab. Researchers predict this combination will demonstrate improved overall and complete response rates in patients.